Exodus 9:3

9:3 then the hand of the Lord will surely bring ¹  a very terrible plague ²  on your livestock in the field, on the horses, the donkeys, the camels, ³  the herds, and the flocks.

Exodus 9:7

9:7 Pharaoh sent representatives to investigate, ⁴  and indeed, not even one of the livestock of Israel had died. But Pharaoh’s heart remained hard, ⁵  and he did not release the people.

Exodus 9:20-21

9:20 Those ⁶  of Pharaoh’s servants who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their ⁷  servants and livestock into the houses, 9:21 but those ⁸  who did not take ⁹  the word of the Lord seriously left their servants and their cattle ¹⁰  in the field.

[9:3]  ¹ tn The form used here is הוֹיָה (hoyah), the Qal active participle, feminine singular, from the verb “to be.” This is the only place in the OT that this form occurs. Ogden shows that this form is appropriate with the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) to stress impending divine action, and that it conforms to the pattern in these narratives where five times the participle is used in the threat to Pharaoh (7:17; 8:2; 9:3, 14; 10:4). See G. S. Ogden, “Notes on the Use of הויה in Exodus IX. 3,” VT 17 (1967): 483-84.

[9:3]  ² tn The word דֶּבֶר (dever) is usually translated “pestilence” when it applies to diseases for humans. It is used only here and in Ps 78:50 for animals.

[9:3]  ³ sn The older view that camels were not domesticated at this time (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 70; W. F. Albright, Archaeology and the Religion of Israel, 96; et. al.) has been corrected by more recently uncovered information (see K. A. Kitchen, NBD³ 160-61).

[9:7]  ⁴ tn Heb “Pharaoh sent.” The phrase “representatives to investigate” is implied in the context.

[9:7]  ⁵ tn Heb “and the heart of Pharaoh was hardened.” This phrase translates the Hebrew word כָּבֵד (kaved; see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 53). In context this represents the continuation of a prior condition.

[9:20]  ⁷ tn The text has “the one fearing.” The singular expression here and throughout vv. 20-21 refers to all who fit the description.

[9:20]  ⁸ tn Heb “his” (singular).

[9:21]  ¹⁰ tn The Hebrew text again has the singular.

[9:21]  ¹¹ tn Heb “put to his heart.”

[9:21]  ¹² tn Heb “his servants and his cattle.”